Business Manager Visa in Japan: How to Prove the JPY 30 Million Capital Requirement

What is the Business Manager Visa?

The Business Manager Visa is a status of residence for foreign nationals who will operate or manage a business in Japan.

Typical examples include:

• A foreign entrepreneur starting a company in Japan
• A foreign national managing a Japanese company
• A person operating a trade, service, restaurant, tourism, IT, education, consulting, or other lawful business in Japan

However, simply establishing a company does not guarantee that the Business Manager Visa will be approved.

Immigration will examine the substance of the business, including the office, business scale, business plan, funding, management role, revenue model, and continuity of the business.

In other words, the Business Manager Visa is not just a company registration procedure. It is an immigration examination of whether the applicant will genuinely operate or manage a real business in Japan.

What does “JPY 30 million or more” mean?

The JPY 30 million requirement does not always mean the same thing in every case.

The meaning depends on whether the business is operated by a company or by an individual business owner.

If the business is operated by a company

If the business is operated by a company, the JPY 30 million requirement generally refers to the company’s capital or total amount of contributions.

• Kabushiki Kaisha / K.K.
  The amount of paid-in capital is important.
• Godo Kaisha / G.K., Gomei Kaisha, or Goshi Kaisha
  The total amount of contributions is important.

For example, if a foreign entrepreneur establishes a Kabushiki Kaisha, Immigration may examine whether the paid-in capital is JPY 30 million or more and whether the money was actually paid into the relevant account.

If the business is operated as a sole proprietorship

If the business is operated as an individual business, the concept is different.

Instead of corporate capital, Immigration may look at the total amount actually invested into the business.

Examples may include:

• Costs for securing a business office
• Rent, deposit, key money, and other office-related costs
• One year of salary for employees to be hired
• Equipment and fixtures
• Initial inventory
• System development costs
• Other expenses clearly connected to starting and operating the business

However, a simple plan to spend money in the future may not be enough.

It is important to prepare documents showing actual payment, contracts, invoices, receipts, remittance records, or other evidence proving that the funds are genuinely committed to the business.

Why proof of funds is so important

For the Business Manager Visa, Immigration does not only ask whether you have money.

They may also examine where the money came from, how it was accumulated, and how it was transferred to Japan.

This is important because Immigration must confirm that the funds are legitimate and not merely temporary “show money.”

In practice, applicants should be ready to explain the full story of the funds.

For example:

• Did you save the money from your own employment or business income?
• Did your family give or lend you the money?
• Did you sell property or business assets?
• Did you obtain a bank loan?
• Was the money transferred through a bank?
• Was cash brought into Japan properly declared to Customs?

The more complex the funding route is, the more carefully you should prepare evidence.

Documents that may help prove the source of funds

The required documents depend on the applicant’s situation.

However, the following documents may be important when proving the source and movement of business funds.

These documents should not be prepared at the last minute.

If the source of funds is unclear, or if the money suddenly appears in the account shortly before the application, Immigration may ask for additional explanation.

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Self-funded capital: what should you prepare?

If you prepared the business funds by yourself, you should be ready to show how you saved the money.

For example, if you worked for many years and saved money from your salary, the following documents may help:

• Employment certificates
• Salary records
• Tax certificates
• Bank statements showing gradual accumulation
• Documents showing bonuses, business income, dividends, or asset sales

The key is consistency.

If your income history and bank balance do not match, or if a large amount suddenly appears without explanation, the source of funds may become a problem.

Borrowed money: can it be used?

Borrowed money may be used in some cases, but it must be carefully explained.

If you borrow money from a bank, family member, friend, or business partner, you should prepare documents showing that the loan is real and legally valid.

Important documents may include:

• Loan agreement
• Repayment schedule
• Bank transfer records
• Documents showing the lender’s identity
• Documents showing the lender’s financial capacity
• Explanation of why the lender is willing to lend the money

Immigration may also consider whether the repayment obligation will place too much pressure on the business.

For example, if the business plan depends heavily on borrowed money and the repayment schedule is unrealistic, the stability of the business may be questioned.

Money from family: gift or loan?

Many foreign entrepreneurs receive financial support from parents, relatives, or spouses.

This is not automatically a problem.

However, it is important to clarify whether the money is a gift or a loan.

If it is a gift, you should prepare documents explaining:

• Who gave the money
• The relationship between the giver and the applicant
• Why the money was given
• How the giver obtained the money
• How the money was transferred

If it is a loan, you should prepare a loan agreement and repayment plan.

In either case, the source of the giver’s or lender’s funds may also become relevant.

It is not enough to simply say, “My parents gave me the money.” The financial background and transfer route should be documented as clearly as possible.

Sending money from overseas to Japan

If you send business funds from overseas to Japan, you should keep clear records of the transfer.

Important records may include:

• Bank remittance slips
• Foreign exchange transaction records
• Bank statements before and after the remittance
• Documents showing the sender and recipient
• Explanation of the purpose of the transfer

Foreign exchange rates can also create practical problems.

For example, if you plan to prepare exactly JPY 30 million based on a foreign currency calculation, the amount received in Japan may become less than expected due to exchange rate changes or bank fees.

For that reason, it is safer to plan with a margin rather than sending the exact minimum amount.

Bringing cash into Japan

Some applicants consider bringing cash into Japan by hand.

This is risky if not handled properly.

Under Japanese customs rules, if you carry cash or other means of payment exceeding JPY 1 million when entering or leaving Japan, you must declare it to Customs.

If you bring a large amount of cash into Japan without proper declaration, it may create serious problems in your visa application.

Immigration may ask:

• Where did the cash come from?
• Why was it brought in cash instead of bank transfer?
• Was it properly declared to Customs?
• Can the source of the cash be verified?

Common mistakes in proving capital

Business Manager Visa applications often become difficult when the funding story is unclear.

Common mistakes include:

Japanese language requirement after the 2025 reform

The 2025 amendment did not only change the business scale requirement.

The Immigration Services Agency also explains that either the applicant or a full-time employee must have a certain level of Japanese language ability.

In official materials, this is explained as Japanese language ability equivalent to B2 or higher under the relevant Japanese language reference framework.

This means that, for many foreign entrepreneurs, it is no longer enough to think only about capital.

You should also consider:

• Who in the business can communicate in Japanese
• Whether the applicant has sufficient Japanese ability
• Whether a full-time employee can satisfy the Japanese language requirement
• How the business will operate in the Japanese market

This is especially important for businesses that deal with Japanese customers, landlords, banks, suppliers, or local government offices.

Capital is important, but it is not the only requirement

The JPY 30 million requirement is important, but the Business Manager Visa is not approved by capital alone.

Immigration will also examine whether the business itself is real, stable, and continuous.

Important points may include:

• Whether a proper business office is secured in Japan
• Whether the business plan is realistic
• Whether the revenue model is clear
• Whether there are contracts, customers, suppliers, or market evidence
• Whether the applicant will genuinely manage the business
• Whether the business scale is sufficient
• Whether the funding source is legitimate
• Whether the business can continue after visa approval

For example, even if you prepare JPY 30 million, a vague business plan with no office, no clear customers, no operational schedule, and no realistic revenue model may still be weak.

On the other hand, a well-prepared business plan should explain how the money will actually be used to build and operate the business.

Checklist before preparing your Business Manager Visa application

Before applying, foreign entrepreneurs should check the following points.

Conclusion

After the 2025 reform, the Business Manager Visa in Japan has become much stricter than before.

The old explanation that “JPY 5 million is enough” is no longer appropriate for many cases.

Foreign entrepreneurs should now prepare their business plans based on the current JPY 30 million business scale requirement, and they must also be ready to prove the source and movement of their funds.

It is not enough to simply show a bank balance.

You should prepare a clear and consistent explanation of how the money was earned, saved, borrowed, gifted, transferred, and used for the business.

If you are planning to apply for the Business Manager Visa, it is better to review the capital structure, company establishment plan, business plan, office plan, and immigration strategy before starting the procedure.